Internal collection system for a coin operated system

ABSTRACT

A coin collection system having internal locking means for preventing unauthorized access to the coin box of a coin operated device.

5 United States Patent 1 1 3,559,877

[72} Inventors Harry Greenwald [56] ReferencesCited i f h dml N Y UNITED STATES PATENTS [2H A No 33 861,290 7/1907 Koons 232/23 {22] Mays 1968 3.455,425 7/1969 Douglas. 232/1x [45] Patented Feb 432,610 7 1890 Hagerty... 232/15 1,235,123 7/1917 Donley 232/41.4 [73] Assgnee gg izsm ifi 1,752,984 4 1930 Hess 1. 232/434 1,954,667 4 1934 Ernst 232/1.4x :g'ggfglg 2,856,122 l0/l958 Greenwald..... 232/15 8 3,127,097 3 1964 013116116161... 232/15 3,175,759 3/1965 1356166131.... 232/1 3,214,089 10/1965 Smith 232/15 3,339,835 9 1967 Itman 232/15x [54] INTERNAL COLLECTION SYSTEM FOR A COIN 1,30,31,32, l.4,43.l,43.4,7,4l.4

Primary ExaminerFrancis K. Zugel Attorney-Irving Seidman ABSTRACT: A coin collection system having internal locking means for preventing unauthorized access to the coin box of a coin operated device.

INTERNAL COLLECTION SYSTEM FOR A COIN OPERATED SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to a coin controlled or operated device and, more particularly to a novel coin collection system having internal locking means for preventing unauthorized access to the coin box of such device.

2. Description of the Prior Art Coin control units are usually installed on commercial ap plicances such as clothes washers, dryers, vending and the like. The coin control is enclosed within a housing mounted on the appliance or machine and the housing is usually provided with a locked coin drawer which prevents unauthorized access to a coin receptacle or box located in spaced relation to the coin control. The coin control includes a coin slide reciprocably mounted in a guide track for projected and retracted movement thereof; said coin slide having a coin receiving portion for transmitting a coin to the coin receptacle or box upon projected movement of the coin slide. The inner end of the coin slide is provided with an operator for actuating the appliance or machine upon further projected movement of the coin slide to the operative position thereof.

The coin operated machines described above are disposed for public use and are for the most part left unattended. Therefore, by the very nature of their use, such coin operated machines are vulnerable to acts of vandalism and burglary. Heretofore, experience has shown that unauthorized access to the coin box of such coin operated machines was had by forcing or destroying the lock on the coin box drawer, either by drilling or hammering. Because the coin box lock on such machines is generally exposed, a would-be thief has easy access thereto and therefore can readily apply the tools of his trade to force the lock. With the lock thus incapacitated, the thief then has easy access to the coin box. Consequently, thousands of dollars each year are lost as the result of acts of vandalism and burglary.

The present invention provides a novel internal locking means for the coin box to deter unauthorized access thereto in a manner hereinafter described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The internal collection system of the present invention pro vides an internal locking means for the coin box door which is thus not exposed to the public. A service access door is located in the housing of the coin operated device and must first be removed or released from the housing before access can be had to the internal lockingmeans. The construction of the coin box door is such that the outer surface thereof is mounted flush with an outer wall surface of the housing to prevent said coin box door from being pried loose by unauthorized persons. The coin box door cooperates with the internal locking means and is engageable therewith to removably retain said coin box door in the closed position thereof.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel coin collection system having internal locking means for preventing unauthorized access to the coin box of a coin operated device.

Another object and feature of the present invention is to provide a novel internal coin collection system for a coin operated device that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and gives long lasting service.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG I is a side elevational view of the internal coin collection system constructed in accordance with the present invention, with parts broken away and parts in section, illustrating the novel locking means for the coin box;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the locking means shown in FIG. ll;

FIG 3 is a rear elevational view of the closure means for the coin box; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken through line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. I, numeral 10 represents the housing for a coin operated device having a front wall 12 and an internal member 14, such as a partition or brace, in spaced preset parallel relation to wall 12. Wall 12 is illustrated as supporting a coin slide assembly 16 arranged to discharge coins into a coin box 18 removably positioned through an opening 20 in wall 12. In the usual manner, coin slide assembly 16 may be provided with coin registering means and slug detecting means, such means being well known and hence not illustrated as they form no part of the present invention. Closure means 22 is provided for the opening 20 in front wall 12; said closure means 22 cooperating with internal locking means 24 for retaining said closure means in its closed position in a manner hereinafter described.

Housing 10 is provided with another opening 26 in spaced relation to opening 20. In the preferred embodiment, opening 26 is located in a side wall portion of the housing. Closure means 28 is provided for the opening 26 and is removably retained in its closed position by means of conventional key lock means 30. In this connection, closure means 28 serves as a service access door for the internal locking means 24, and closure means 22 serves as a coin box door for coin box 18. The lock means 30 for closure means 28 has a shaft extending into housing 10 to which there is connected a cam 32 rotatable between operative and inoperative positions upon turning of a key (not shown) in said lock means 30. With the cam 32 rotated to its operative condition, as seen in FIG. 1, the service access door or closure means 28 is locked by means of the engagement of cam 32 with a wall portion of housing 10. The arrangement is such that closure means 28 must first be removed or released from the housing before access can be had to the internal locking means 24.

In accordance with the present invention, internal locking means 24 is mounted to and supported by partition member 14. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, locking means 24 is provided with a lock portion 34 which passes through a suitable opening in partition member 14. Lock portion 34 is externally threaded for receiving lock nut 36 which serves to secure locking means 24 to partition member 14. Locking portion 34 terminates in lock shaft 38 which is rotatable by means of a key 40 inserted in the key receiving portion 42 of locking means 24. A locking member 43, preferably in the form of an extension shaft, extends from lock shaft 38 and is secured for rotation therewith. In the preferred embodiment, extension shaft 43 is provided with a sleeve element 44 which is telescoped over lock shaft 38 and riveted, welded or staked thereto. Alternatively, sleeve element 4-4 may be removably secured to lock shaft 38 by means of screw fasteners or the like. The free end of extension shaft 43 is threaded, as shown by numeral 46, for engaging with closure means 22 in a manner hereinafter described.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, closure means 22 serves as the coin box door and includes an engageable member 48 extending from the inner or rear surface thereof. In the preferred embodiment, engageable member 48 serves as a bushing which is internally threaded for receiving the threaded free end portion of extension shaft 43. Closure means 22 is preferably constructed having separate front and rear wall portions 50 and 52 respectively, which are arranged in overlying relation to one another and suitably secured together by a welding or brazing operation, or the like. Front and rear wall portions 50 and 52 are preferably formed of hardened metal such as steel or the like. Rear wall portion 52 has an annular offset portion 54 which provides a seat for flange portions 56 of bushing 48. Bushing 48 has a guide sleeve 58 telescoped thereover and welded or brazed thereto for receiving and guiding the extension shaft 43 into engaging relation with bushing 48. The peripheral margin of outer wall 50 projects somewhat beyond the peripheral margin of rear wall 52 to form a rabbeted peripheral edge 60 for closure means 22 which is receivable in a corresponding peripheral recess portion 62 of opening in wall 12. In other words, the marginal portions of closure means 22 and the opening 20 in housing wall portion 12 have complementary interfitting portions for making the front wall 50 of closure means 22 flush with the outer surface of housing wall portion 12 when said closure means 22 is in the closed position thereof.

Referring to FIG. 1, support or bracket means 64 is provided for supporting coin box 18 within housing 10. Such support means 64 are conventional and thus form no part of the present invention. Coin box 18 preferably has a pair or aligned openings 66 in opposed walls thereof. When the coin box is inserted into the housing, support means 64 serve to locate the axis of the aligned openings 66 in coincidence with the rotational axis of extension shaft 43. If desired, a handle member 68 can be mounted on the front wall 19 of coin box E8 to facilitate the inserting and removing of said coin box from the housing. Handle member 68 also serves as spacer means for limiting the advance movement of closure means 22 to thereby prevent deformation of the housing wall 12 at the peripheral recess portion of opening 20 therein. In this connection, additional spacer means, such as indicated by the numeral 70 in FIG. I, can be provided to extend from the front wall 19 of the coin box 18 for similarly limiting the advance movement of closure means 22.

To operate the internal collection system described above, it is first necessary to remove the service access door 28 from its closed position, thereby affording access to the internal locking means 24. Key 40 is inserted into key receiving portion 42 of locking means 24 and turned in one direction thereby rotating the lock shaft 38 and the extension shaft 43 secured thereto. Rotation of extension shaft 43 in said one direction serves to disengage its threaded end 46 from bushing 48 thereby releasing closure means 22 from the closed position thereof. Coin box 18 can now be removed from the housing through opening 20 in front wall 12 to empty the contents thereof. Once the coins have been collected, coin box R8 is inserted back into the housing by merely locating the openings 66 of said coin box in alignment with the rotational axis of extension shaft 43. Closure means 22 is then positioned with its guide sleeve 58 passing through the front wall opening 66 of coin box 18. Guide sleeve 58 receives the free end of extension shaft 43 and guides the threaded end 46 thereof into engaging relation with bushing element 48. Rotation of extension shaft 43 in the reverse direction by means of key 40 serves to advance and retain said closure means 22 in the closed position thereof, whereby the outer surface 50 of said closure means will be'flush with the outer surface of housing wall portion 12. Key 40 is now removed from internal locking means 24, and service access door 28 is secured in its closed position by means of external locking means 30.

It will be appreciated that while service access door 28 is mounted on a side portion of housing 10, the mounting arrangement can be varied so as to located said service access door on another part of the housing. Furthermore, the present invention substantially reduces the possiblity of theft which results from acts of vandalism and burglary since there are two differently coded keys which are needed to operate the internal coin collection system. Accordingly, even if the service access door 28 is pried loose by an unauthorized person, such person would still not be able to operate the internal locking means 24 unless he had the proper key 40. It will further be appreciated, that closure means 22 cannot be pried loose clue to its threaded engagement with extension shaft 43 and the flush interfitting mounting arrangement of said closure means 22 with the outer surface of housing wall 12.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be readily understood and appreciated that various changes or modifications thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appendedfclaims.

We claim:

I. An internal collection system for a coin operated device comprising:

a. a housing having first and second openings in spaced relation to each other;

b. closure means for the first opening in the housing;

c. locking means for retaining the closure means in its closed position and releasing said closure means from the closed position thereof;

d. second closure means for the second opening in the house. the second opening in the housing being located in a wall portion thereof;

f. the marginal portions of the second closure means and the second opening in said housing wall portion having complementary interfitting portions for making the outer surface of the second closure means flush with the outer surface of said housing wall portion when the second closure means is in the closed position thereof;

g. second locking means for the second closure means;

h. the second locking means being mounted within said housing and including a member rotatable by a key inserted in the second locking means, the key receiving portion of said second locking means being accessible through the first opening in the housing;

i. a locking member extending from the rotatable member toward the second opening in the housing;

j. a coin box insertable through the the second opening in the housing, said coin box having a pair of aligned openings in opposed walls thereof;

k. means for supporting the coin box within the housing for locating the axis of the aligned openings in coincidence with the rotational axis of the locking member;

I. the second closure means including an engageable member extending from the inner surface thereof in alignment with the locking member; and

m. coacting means on the locking member and engageable member for retaining the second closure means in its closed position upon rotation of the locking member in one direction and for releasing said closure means from the closed position thereof upon reverse rotation of the locking member.

2. An internal collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein said rotatable member comprises a lock shaft and said locking member comprises an extension shaft secured for rotation with the lock shaft.

3. An internal collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein said engageable member comprises a bushing element; said coacting means comprising complementary threads respectively formed in said bushing element and on the locking member; and guide sleeve means on said bushing element for receiving and guiding the locking member into engaging relation with the bushing element. 

1. An internal collection system for a coin operated device comprising: a. a housing having first and second openings in spaced relation to each other; b. closure means for the first opening in the housing; c. locking means for retaining the closure means in its closed position and releasing said closure means from the closed position thereof; d. second closure means for the second opening in the housing; e. the second opening in the housing being located in a wall portion thereof; f. the marginal portions of the second closure means and the second opening in said housing wall portion having complementary interfitting portions for making the outer surface of the second closure means flush with the outer surface of said housing wall portion when the second closure means is in the closed position thereof; g. second locking means for the second closure means; h. the second locking means being mounted within said housing and including a member rotatable by a key inserted in the second locking means, the key receiving portion of said second locking means being accessible through the first opening in the housing; i. a locking member extending from the rotatable member toward the second opening in the housing; j. a coin box insertable through the the second opening in the housing, said coin box having a pair of aligned openings in opposed walls thereof; k. means for supporting the coin box within the housing for locating the axis of the aligned openings in coincidence with the rotational axis of the locking member; l. the second closure means including an engageable member extending from the inner surface thereof in alignment with the locking member; and m. coacting means on the locking member and engageable member for retaining the second closure means in its closed position upon rotation of the locking member in one direction and for releasing said closure means from the closed position thereof upon reverse rotation of the locking member.
 2. An internal collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein said rotatable member comprises a lock shaft and said locking member comprises an extension shaft secured for rotation with the lock shaft.
 3. An internal collection system as recited in claim 1, wherein said engageable member comprises a bushing element; said coacting means comprising complementary threads respectively formed in said bushing element and on the locking member; and guide sleeve means on said bushing elemenT for receiving and guiding the locking member into engaging relation with the bushing element. 